We call these JEWELS.

How do I place an order?

We see no need in an expensive "shopping cart" system, because we
will need to consult with you regarding your order.

Do you accept credit cards?

Please DO NOT send us your credit card information in an
e–mail.

We accept Visa and MasterCard or checks.
Our terms are one half when we begin the order and the balance just prior to shipping. Since we must pay for your door up front, we cannot
cancel any order for a door.

How long will my order take?

ANATOMY OF A LEADED GLASS WINDOW

All windows begin with a metal frame – shown here as – is
normally ½" wide (which accounts for 1" of your window
dimensions). You may see a photo by scrolling down to the
next section.

A border of a different color or clear texture – shown here as
––
normally 1", 1 ½", or 2", depending on the size of your window. Waterglass
or Flemish are good choices for borders. You may see both on
this page.

The field or background glass – shown here as .
You might have noticed the size varies here for demonstration
purposes.
We make the "bevel set" fit by adjusting this area of your
window.
See some options like gluechip and Waterglass by scrolling up to
the previous sections on this page.

Bevel set/bevel set – center design
shown here in white. You could replace the "bevel set" – or any
of the other parts of the window – with colored glass if you wish.
Bevels can be viewed by scrolling up to the previous
sections on this page.

What is "Lead"?

Lead is the skeletal structure of your leaded glass
window.

Glass is cut by hand to the desired shape and fitted into a piece
of metal called "came" of various shapes and sizes. These are pictures of "H" came (looks like an I–beam) which accepts glass in the slots on either side.

For most applications, the face of the outer frame is 3/8" or 1/2". Inner lead can be 3/16", 1/4", or 3/8" on the face.

For measurements, we suggest you measure the actual opening and
then subtract ¼" off the width and 1/8" off the height to arrive
at the actual "build size."

How should I measure the opening?

The brown represents the finished opening that you
will set our glass window into.
The blue represents the leaded glass WINDOW
Measure the height and width in several places.
Measure the diagonals to verify that the opening is square.
You now know the dimensions of the Actual Opening.
Deduct one–quarter" off the width and one–eighth" off the height and you have our
"Build Size."

SLAB DOOR INSTALLATION.

This is a great way to save money on a door.
Solid slabs are inexpensive, and after the leaded glass is installed, it is difficult to tell the difference between a slab and a custom solid wood door.

Using a 2 x 2 cut down to the same thickness as the door, a slot is cut down the center to accommodate the metal frame of the leaded glass.
A molding is applied across the joint on both sides where the 2 x 2 meets the opening in the door. This molding holds the leaded glass in place and hides the gap where the door and the 2x2's meet.

Stain or paint the door as you wish. Remember: slabs are veneer, so ensure that the edges are well sealed.

How can I install your windows?

You can do this several ways.

The first picture shows how a leaded glass window
might be installed in an interior opening.
The brown "F" is the sill itself.
The tan "G" is the interior molding which holds the window in
place.
The gray "C" is the ¼" thick metal frame
which is around every window we fabricate.
The blue "D" is the leaded glass.

This shows how a leaded glass window
might be installed in an interior opening with simple mirror clips.
This works well with cabinet doors or if you are attaching a window over the sash of an existing window.

The second picture shows how a leaded glass window
might be installed on the interior ledge of an existing insulated double or triple pane glass.
The cream "G" is the sill/ledge.
The brown "F" is the interior molding which holds the leaded glass
window in place.
The gray "C" is the ¼" thick metal frame
which is around every leaded glass window we fabricate.
The blue "D" is the leaded glass.
The pale blue "J" is the exterior insulated double or triple pane glass.

The third picture shows how a leaded glass window
might be installed on the interior side of a single pane of glass.
The brown "F" is the sill itself.
The tan "G" is the interior molding which holds the leaded glass
window in place.
The gray "C" is the ¼" thick metal frame
which is around every leaded glass window we fabricate.
The blue "D" is the leaded glass WINDOW
The pale blue "J" is the exterior glass.

The fourth picture shows how a leaded glass window
might be installed in an exterior situation.
The brown "F" is the sill itself.
The tan "G" is the interior molding which holds the leaded glass
window in place.
The gray "C" is the ¼" thick metal frame
which is around every leaded glass window we fabricate.
The blue "D" is the leaded glass.
The yellow "A" represents a silicon bead to keep the weather out
and cushion the leaded glass WINDOW Feel free to run it under the
window, also.
The "H" is the exterior molding on your sill or, in some instances,
a putty bead.

The fifth picture shows installation of an
insulated window.
The brown "F" is the sill itself.
The tan "G" is the interior molding which holds leaded glass the
window in place.
The blue "E" is the tempered glass on both sides of the leaded
glass window.
The Green "I" is the gap before the insulating seal.
The Red "B" represents the black seal for the insulated unit.
The gray "C" is the ¼" thick metal frame
which is around every leaded glass window we fabricate.
The blue "D" is the leaded glass.
The yellow "A" represents a silicon bead to keep the weather out
and cushion the leaded glass WINDOW Feel free to run it under the
window, also.
The "H" is the exterior molding on your sill or, in some instances,
a putty bead.

Do you provide insulated leaded glass windows?

We can insulate almost any size window using 1/8" tempered glass on
both sides of the ¼" thick leaded glass window with an inset black
butyl seal.

ADVANTAGES:

More energy efficient.
Easier to clean.
Improved security.
Helps protect leaded glass from possible breakage.
Stabilizes leaded glass window without the use of traditional
rebars which could interfere with the design.
Prevents oxidation and aging of leaded unit, keeping it in its
original pristine condition until the seal fails.
Eliminates leakage associated with single glazed leaded glass.

DISADVANTAGES:

A biggie is the glare you get off the insulating glass on both sides of the window. If we do not get a photo of the window before it is insulated, we can forget it.

In time the seal will leak. The window will cloud and the moisture and dust can actually etch the leaded glass. Also, it is difficult to find someone willing to take apart the 3–piece insulated unit, clean it up, and have it resealed.

OUR RECOMMENDATION:

We recommend that you have 2 separate items:
Our leaded glass window set against 2 pieces of tempered glass that are sealed as a unit which many residential glass companies can provide for you.
This has several advantages over an insulated leaded glass window, with no cons.
When the seal fails (yes, it is just a matter of time), (example) the insulating glass can be replaced without affecting the leaded glass window.
If the outer insulating glass is cracked or broken, hopefully the damage will not travel through both pieces of insulating glass to break the leaded glass.
There is no glare on the interior view of the leaded glass window that you would have if it were sealed between 2 pieces of glass.
Most residential plate glass companies can provide and install the insulated glass before the leaded glass arrives.

Example:
The cream "G" is the sill/ledge.
The brown "F" is the interior molding which holds the leaded glass
window in place.
The gray "C" is the ¼" thick metal frame
which is around every leaded glass window we fabricate.
The blue "D" is the leaded glass.
The pale blue "J" is the exterior insulated double or triple pane glass.

This has several advantages over an insulated leaded glass window:
When the seal fails (yes, it is just a matter of time), (example) the insulating glass can be replaced without affecting the leaded glass window.
If the outer insulating glass is cracked or broken, hopefully the damage will not travel through both pieces of insulating glass to break the leaded glass.
There is no glare on the inside view of the leaded glass window that you would have if it were sealed between 2 pieces of glass.
Most residential plate glass companies can provide and install the insulated glass before the leaded glass arrives.

From the edge inward you will
see some clear glass, the black butyl strip which forms the
insulating seal, and our metal, totaling approximately 1".
This should be covered, all or in part, by the moulding you will
use to secure the window into its opening.

You will
notice a glare on the insulating glass. The photographer shows up
clearly in this shot.
This is an insulated window looking dead on. You can see the
edge of the clear glass and the black butyl seal on the outside of
our metal frame.

Do you accept credit cards?

Please DO NOT send us your credit card information in an
e–mail.

We accept Visa and MasterCard or checks.
Our terms are one half when we begin the order and the balance just prior to shipping. Since we must pay for your door up front, we cannot
cancel any order for a door.

What about shipping?

We ship to anywhere within the USA. We normally use ABF and FedEx, so if they go to your town/country, we can
probably ship to you. You are responsible for all taxes, duties or other surcharges, i.e., Canada, etc.
If you have a carrier you want us to use, please advise when you
place your order.

What about brass or polished nickle or other stiff metal caming?

Brass came can be solid or "brass capped" over lead. There
are several problems with this product. Solid brass is like
zinc came in that it is not flexible, which causes the solder
joints to be the weakest links in the window. They break!

Furthermore, these metals tend to break down over time.

Another problem is that there is no brass solder; therefore, the
solder joints either remain silver or are painted gold. To
make matters worse, brass tarnishes, but the painted solder joints
do not, so they stay bright gold while the rest of the came
darkens.

Insulating your window will protect it from tarnishing until the seal fails.

As you view the pictures, remember: you choose your own colors and
sizes for your window. We can use your design or adapt ours
for your window, but each window is created to fit your size
specifications and colors.

To inquire about pricing, we need to know which design you like and
the dimensions you need the window to be.

To inquire about a design, note its name and the dimensions you need the window to be and email your inquiry to us. We will be
happy to work with you to make the design fit your needs.

Where can we see samples of stained glass?

You may view samples of the entire line of Spectrum Glass
here >>> Spectrum Glass.

Same window; same day; different times. From
morning to evening, the colors and appearance of your stained glass
window will change. Trying to find the exact shade of a color
is futile.

Can you live with muntins behind your stained glass? Only you
can decide. You might elect to change out the existing glass
with a sheet of plate glass without muntins. In this
instance, that is a sliding window behind the stained glass, which
casts a larger shadow than most muntins.

We can help:

Remodeling
The perfect time to change that entry and increase curb appeal to
your home.

Give your old door a face lift with a new glass window.

Selling your house
A leaded glass door will help close the sale. After looking
at many houses, a beautiful door helps people remember your house
and that stained glass window will certainly add value to your
home.

Room Dividers
Dress up a drab corner.

Fireplace Screen
Cover that black hole with a piece of glass art and set a light
behind it. Cool!

Privacy
A beautiful alternative to drapes and shutters, and you don’t have
to dust or send them to the cleaners! Hide that unsightly
fence. A glass window is perfect.

Stained Glass gives lasting beauty to the discriminating homeowner
and gives your home a unique identity among those of your
neighbors.

Will you send me a catalog?

This Web site IS our catalog. Since every glass window we
build is custom designed to someone’s specifications, this makes a
catalog an impossible task. The costs involved in printing a
color brochure are quite high, and which pictures would we include?

We have over 600 pages with pictures here online for you to view.
To inquire about a design, note its name or number and e–mail your inquiry to us. We will be happy
to work with you to make the design fit your needs.

I am not sure I like those bars going across the door
windows.

We put them on all door windows and on larger windows that are not insulated. Rebars
will add years to the life of your window. Ask anyone who
repairs them! Some shops don’t use them and/or charge you
extra for them, but we want to give your window every chance
for a long life.
Some people absolutely refuse to have them put on their
windows. So be it, but we advised you against it!

Rebar attached to window adds strength.
Rebars are affixed at horizontal intervals on windows over 22".
The size of this rebar is 1/8" x ¼", with the narrow edge
facing the viewer.

This is a view of a rebar looking directly at its
edge. We don’t want it to interfere with the beauty of your
window any more than necessary.

I don’t want my dog to jump on the leaded glass and hurt
himself or break the glass window.

For these large sidelights, we set a piece of ¼"
thick tempered glass on the interior ledge of the leaded glass
windows, but only as high as the dogs might be able to reach.
Now nose prints are easy to clean, the delivery guys are safe, the
leaded glass is safe, and so are the dogs.
You have to look closely to even notice the odd piece of glass.

We tweeked the second picture so you could see the glass better.

For very young children, placing a pane of tempered glass to cover the entire window with is your best solution.

Won’t someone just break the glass and walk right in?

This glass window took quite a beating. The broken
glass is held in place by the original putty cement; the metal
structure is still in place. There is an easier way into your
home than through a leaded glass WINDOW. Check out your
window panes which are held in place with a little strip of plastic
moulding. Like any glass window, if someone wants to throw
himself through it, he will probably wind up inside, bleeding all
over your floor.

My new glass window has an ugly scratch on it.

Some suppliers maintain "Industry Standard" dictates that if you
cannot see a scratch from 3 feet away, it is acceptable. Some
folks will use any gimmick as an excuse for poor quality. We
believe that the beveling in a window provides all the glitter
needed to be gorgeous; scratches only interfere; therefore, we
insist on the very best products for our customers and expect you
to accept nothing less!

My door looks like a butcher block with several small pieces of
wood glued together. Will they split apart?

It happens. That would be the weakest link. Our doors
are neither laminated (some door manufacturers will cut costs
by gluing together smaller pieces) nor veneered (thin sheets
of wood glued over a cheaper core). They will not peel and do
not have all those glued joints of the laminated together
doors. We value our reputation too much to sell anything less
than the best.

I’ll save money with the laminated or veneered doors.

No way! Do not lose sight of the fact that
the cost of the door is actually a fraction of the total installed
price; and the cost of hardware, installation, and finishing is the
same for a cheap door as it is for a door of quality. A cheap
door will cost much more in the long run. If you are fixing
up a house to unload it, you can go cheap if your conscience will
let you, but if you plan to live in this house for more than a
couple of years, don’t skimp here.

The guy said his doors are mahogany.

Mahogany comes from South America and Africa. The softer
woods coming in from the orient can claim mahogany all they like,
but if you care about quality in a solid hardwood door, mahogany is
superior to other woods, finishes beautifully and holds up better to the ravages of the weather.